The disaster movie "San
Andreas" starring Dwayne Johnson did better than expected over
the weekend. Proving The Rock is a major action
star.Jasin Boland/Warner Bros./"San
Andreas"

The definition of an action
star is changing and there’s no better example of that then the
recent success of The Rock.

Since the early 2000s, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has gone from
being one of the biggest names at WWE to becoming one of the most
bankable actors in Hollywood.

This was confirmed over the weekend when Johnson’s latest film,
disaster movie “San Andreas,” topped all projections with a $53
million domestic opening
weekend.

Johnson’s blueprint for success has been filled with trial and
error, but in the last five years he’s hit his stride thanks to
jumping on popular movie franchises and constantly engaging his
huge fan base on social media.

The “San Andreas” opening proves Johnson doesn’t just need to be
the burly member of an ensemble to attract audiences.

Let’s look at six reasons he’s made the jump to super stardom.

1. He's learned from past failures.

Universal Pictures/"The Scorpion
King"

Though Johnson created one of
the most memorable WWE wrestling characters in its history with
The Rock — a buff catch-phrase-a-second renegade who was the
perfect anti-hero for wrestling fans thrusting for something
different in the late ‘90s — his transition to action movie star
was a tough hill to climb.

He jumped around from straight-up action movies like "The
Scorpion King" and "Doom," which showed off his exterior
qualities, to more light-hearted fare that proved he could be
entertaining on screen like "The Rundown" and "The Game Plan." He
even slimmed down his size and tried to go the family-friendly
route with films "Race to Witch Mountain," "Tooth Fairy," and
"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island." Though these different routes
proved Dwayne Johnson was more than “The Rock,” he wasn’t a star
who could carry a film.

So he got strategic.

2. The “Furious” franchise solidified his action star
status.

Universal

Instead of trying to do it
alone, as the action stars of the ’80s and ’90s did it, Johnson
saw an opportunity to shine in movies with ensemble casts.

In 2011 he joined the “Fast and Furious” franchise in “Fast Five”
as the massively huge (yes, he went back to the weight room)
agent Hobbs who's hired to arrest Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his
street racing gang. The movie was number one at the box office
its opening weekend with $86 million (it went on to have a
worldwide
gross of over $600 million).

In 2013’s "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," Johnson came onto the
franchise headed by Channing Tatum as the jacked-up character
Roadblock. No one ever questioned Johnson’s believability in an
action movie, but here we saw his talents working off other
actors with sly one-liners. Again, the movie was number one at
the box office its opening weekend with $40
million.

The same year, Johnson returned to play agent Hobbs in “Fast
& Furious 6” and earlier this year in “Furious 7.” Both films
did number one their opening weekends at the box office. "FF 6”
made close to $800
million worldwide while "Furious 7" has crossed $1
billion. The latter is now one of the
most profitable franchises of all time for Universal.

Johnson’s role in both were ingrained more in the storylines and
audiences couldn’t get enough of his dark stare and tough guy
act.

But on the internet, we saw another side.

3. He’s built a massive social media presence.

on

With over 49 million Facebook
likes, 8 million plus followers on Twitter, and over 15 million
followers on Instagram, Johnson has not
been shy to show off his daily life to his fans, and that has
only made him more relatable. From working out to flexing on The
Great Wall of China to just washing his pick up truck, he’s shown
his fans everything with a hint of humor and likability that
proves he’s more just the tough guys he plays on screen.

It's also an example of the brand he’s building.

4. He knows how to sell himself and a movie.

Kevin Winter/Getty
Images

In the lead-up to the release
of "San Andreas," Johnson did everything to get the word out from
hosting "Saturday Night Live" (his fourth time) to
breaking the world record for most selfies done in under
three minutes. This is just a small example of how he’s shown
he’s a different kind of action star.

But zany antics aren't anything new to Johnson. He was even on
the debut episode of the popular Spike show "Lip Sync Battle."
Could you have ever imagined Schwarzenegger or Stallone singing a
popular pop song in their prime?
And pull it off?

And knowing TV will only extend his brand to those who aren’t
into butt-kicking movies, Johnson will headline the HBO series
"Ballers" later this month. In it he'll play a former football
player who turns to being a financial adviser for former players
(he’s also an executive producer on the show).

5. He hasn’t forgotten WWE fans.

WWE

You would think with the
success Johnson has gained he would run far from his wrestling
past, but he’s only embraced it over the years. Since he hung up
his “Brahma Bull” tights in the early 2000s, The Rock has
returned occasionally to WWE’s major Pay-Per-View events to huge
ovations.

Most recently he
appeared at WrestleMania with UFC champion Ronda Rousey, who
put the smackdown on WWE bigwig Stephanie McMahon after McMahon
slapped The Rock. It turned out to be one of the most memorably
moments of the evening.

Johnson is certainly aware that this is still his
bread-and-butter fan base and has been smart to show that he
still appreciates them.

6. Massive stunts/destruction only helps.

Warner Bros./"San
Andreas"

Though “San Andreas” has shown
Johnson can bring in box office dollars without the help of a
loaded ensemble cast, he’s also aware his fans want him in
dangerous situations. Johnson hasn’t gotten to the
Tom Cruise-hanging-from-flying-planes level, but whether it’s
firing massive guns or rescuing his family as large skyscrapers
crumble behind him, audiences are buying a ticket to see the
spectacle as much as they are to see The Rock.

Naturally, he’s keeping the big movies coming. He’s going to try
his hand at another “Journey” film with “Journey 3: From the
Earth to the Moon,” which will be out next year and will, if
anything, be a CGI spectacle. And “Furious 8” is
in the works ... we have a feeling that one will be
big.